07

The young boy, once sheltered from the world, had never grasped the meaning of his own emotions.

How could he?

His life was a routine of lessons—how to read foreign tongues, how to play instruments, how to lead those he would one day command. Yet, in all those hours of instruction, no one taught him what it meant to feel. His father was kept away, his mother too distant to offer comfort, and even his twin sister was taken from him, leaving him alone in a world of sterile education.

Happiness? Sadness? Anger?

They were alien concepts until the day he was torn from his family. He learned sadness in the wrenching goodbye, anger in his helplessness to stop it, and an unexpected happiness in the warmth of his new family's acceptance. These emotions, once unknown, now flooded him, each one more confusing than the last.

Which only left him feeling more lost.

"Don't be afraid," the beautiful woman whispered, her voice a balm to his frayed nerves as she knelt before him, her smile radiant and full of an unfamiliar joy. But within that smile, the boy saw emotions he couldn't name—emotions he had glimpsed in Alcor's eyes, in the way Cynthia looked at him, emotions that left him unsure of what to do. So, he did the only thing he could think of.

"I won't harm y—" The goddess began, only to gasp as the boy flung himself into her arms, clinging to her with a desperation that surprised them both. His small hands patted her back in a clumsy attempt at comfort, his wild hair brushing against her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, the words slipping out unbidden. He didn't understand why he said them or why he hugged her, but something deep inside him needed to. The goddess, initially shocked, hesitated before wrapping her arms around the boy's trembling frame.

"There's no need to be," she murmured, her voice softening as she held him close. "I am here now." A gentle light emanated from her, enveloping the boy and healing his bruises and scrapes. As the light faded, the boy pulled back, staring at his now unblemished skin in wide-eyed wonder.

"Wow! Was that magic?" he exclaimed, bouncing on his feet as he inspected himself for any lingering wounds, finding none. His excitement was infectious, bringing a tender smile to the goddess's lips.

"You'll be able to do that and more, with my guidance," she assured him.

"But… I can't use magic," he admitted, his earlier joy fading as he remembered the disappointment he had brought to his teachers and family. The fear of failing her too made him shrink into himself.

"I would never be disappointed in you," the goddess replied, standing and offering him a reassuring smile. "And you are not a failure—you are simply… different. The time will come when you realize your full potential."

The boy looked up at her, confusion clouding his eyes. The goddess chuckled softly, placing a gentle hand on his head. "Until then, and even beyond, I will always be with you." As she spoke, her form began to shift, shrinking until she transformed into a tiny orange fox that leapt onto his head, curling up comfortably.

The boy opened his mouth to speak, but stopped as visions flashed before his eyes—visions of the Mon'draigg manor in ruins, his new family lying lifeless amid the wreckage. He saw himself through another's eyes, reaching out to grasp his uncle's hand buried in the debris.

Gasping for air, he snapped out of the vision, cold sweat clinging to his skin. "What… what was that? Goddess, was that… the future?" he asked, his voice trembling as he looked up at the fox now perched on his head, startling her awake.

"…Yes," she admitted, her voice tinged with reluctance. "But worry not, my child. The future is not set in stone—you can change it if you so wish."

"Really?" Hope sparked in his eyes.

"Yes, but remember," she cautioned, her tone growing serious. "The choices you make will shape this world. I only ask that you take responsibility for those choices."

The boy hesitated, doubt creeping into his mind. Could he really bear the weight of such decisions? Would he know what to do when the time came?

"Don't worry," the goddess reassured him, sensing his turmoil. "The visions you see are just reminders of what could be. Trust yourself, and the world will follow." She nuzzled his head with her fluffy tail, trying to comfort him, but her words only seemed to add to the burden he felt.

"So let's work together for a better future, okay?"

"...Okay," he whispered, the word laced with uncertainty as he sighed inwardly. With the goddess now resting on his head, he began searching for a way out, eager to return to the family he feared losing.